The best son of Man o' War's full brother My Play, Head Play had talent matched by a good share of misfortune. Many observers thought he might have won the 1933 Kentucky Derby had his jockey, Herb Fisher, kept to the business of riding instead of getting involved in a no-holds-brawl with Don Meade on Brokers Tip as both colts strained toward the finish line. Head Play went on to claim the 3-year-old championship in what was admittedly a subpar year for American sophomores but fractured a pastern while running in the Arlington Classic, an injury that kept him away from the races for most of his 4-year-old season. He finally returned to top form at 5 and looked like a contender for championship honors but bowed a tendon at midseason and never came back to stakes form again. He was a disappointment at stud but appears as the sire of the third dam of the great Spectacular Bid.
Race record
38 starts, 14 wins, 5 seconds, 5 thirds, US$318,048
1932:
1933:
1935:
Honors
American champion 3-year-old male (1933)
Assessments
Ranked second among American older males of 1935 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A big, rangy chestnut, Head Play was said to bear a close resemblance to his famous “uncle,” Man o' War. He liked to race on or close to the lead and handled mud well. Like a number of his male-line relatives, he was inclined to be fractious at the post.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Head Play sired 166 winners (71.6%) and 10 stakes winners (4.3%) from 232 named foals.
Notable progeny
El Mono (USA)
Connections
Head Play was bred by Robert L. Baker and Coldstream Stud. He was owned by Mrs. Willie Crump, who sold the horse to Mrs. Silas B. Mason on the eve of the 1933 Kentucky Derby for US$30,000 plus a contingency of 15 percent of the Kentucky Derby purse in the event that the horse won. Head Play was trained by Willie Crump through the Derby and by Thomas Hayes through the remainder of his 3-year-old season.
Pedigree notes
Head Play is inbred 4x5 to two-time American champion Spendthrift. His dam Red Head produced nothing else of any note. A daughter of multiple stakes winner King Gorin, she was produced from the Light Brigade mare Pimenta, who was similarly undistinguished but was a full sister to Dulcy, dam of stakes winners Quicken (by Peter Quince) and Maetall (by Tall Timber). The next dam in the tail-female line, Allspice (by The Scribe or Oddfellow), was produced from the Hazelhatch made Witch Hazel II, another indifferent racer and producer.
Books and media
Head Play is profiled in Chapter 6 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Race record
38 starts, 14 wins, 5 seconds, 5 thirds, US$318,048
1932:
- Won Hawthorne Juvenile Handicap (USA, 6FD, Hawthorne)
- Won Cincinnati Trophy (USA, 6FD, Latonia)
1933:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd American Derby (USA, 10FD, Washington Park)
- 3rd Latonia Derby (USA, 12FD, Latonia)
- 3rd Maryland Handicap (USA, 10FD, Laurel)
- 3rd Wood Memorial Stakes (USA, 8f+70yD, Jamaica)
1935:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won San Juan Capistrano Handicap (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Antonio Stakes (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Bay Meadows Handicap (USA, 9FD, Bay Meadows)
- Won Derby Week Special Handicap (USA, 9FD, Detroit)
- 2nd Dixie Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
Honors
American champion 3-year-old male (1933)
Assessments
Ranked second among American older males of 1935 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A big, rangy chestnut, Head Play was said to bear a close resemblance to his famous “uncle,” Man o' War. He liked to race on or close to the lead and handled mud well. Like a number of his male-line relatives, he was inclined to be fractious at the post.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Head Play sired 166 winners (71.6%) and 10 stakes winners (4.3%) from 232 named foals.
Notable progeny
El Mono (USA)
Connections
Head Play was bred by Robert L. Baker and Coldstream Stud. He was owned by Mrs. Willie Crump, who sold the horse to Mrs. Silas B. Mason on the eve of the 1933 Kentucky Derby for US$30,000 plus a contingency of 15 percent of the Kentucky Derby purse in the event that the horse won. Head Play was trained by Willie Crump through the Derby and by Thomas Hayes through the remainder of his 3-year-old season.
Pedigree notes
Head Play is inbred 4x5 to two-time American champion Spendthrift. His dam Red Head produced nothing else of any note. A daughter of multiple stakes winner King Gorin, she was produced from the Light Brigade mare Pimenta, who was similarly undistinguished but was a full sister to Dulcy, dam of stakes winners Quicken (by Peter Quince) and Maetall (by Tall Timber). The next dam in the tail-female line, Allspice (by The Scribe or Oddfellow), was produced from the Hazelhatch made Witch Hazel II, another indifferent racer and producer.
Books and media
Head Play is profiled in Chapter 6 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Head Play's Derby duel with Brokers Tip was ranked #44 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
